By Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Reuters) – Maine Governor Janet Mills, a fierce critic of President Donald Trump, dropped her bid to unseat Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins on Thursday, clearing the way for a matchup that will be critical to Democrats seeking to capture a Senate majority in November’s congressional elections.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns require: the financial resources,” Mills, 77, a popular two-term Democratic governor, said in a statement.
Her withdrawal leaves Graham Platner, a progressive who raised $3.25 million in the first six weeks of his campaign, as the leading Democratic candidate to challenge Collins, 72, a formidable incumbent who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Maine’s U.S. Senate race is one of seven contests expected to play a pivotal role in November midterm elections. Winning it would be critical for Democrats if they are to take back a majority in the chamber, which Republicans currently control 53-47.
SENATE UP FOR GRABS
Democrats came into this election year favored to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans currently hold a 217-212 edge with five vacancies.
In recent weeks the contest for control of the Senate has become more competitive, as nonpartisan election analysts have shifted their ratings on races in Ohio and Alaska to show them as highly competitive, with Democrats seen as having a close-to-even chance of ousting Republican incumbents.
Democrats are defending four competitive seats and would need to pick up four to take the majority, with North Carolina also seen as competitive, as Republican Senator Thom Tillis opted to retire after clashing with Trump over immigration.
Platner, a former Marine and oyster farmer, had been leading Mills in recent polls. He raised significantly more money, with more cash on hand as of March 30. Platner reported $12 million in fundraising from July through March, while Mills raised $5.4 million from October through March, according to Federal Election Commission figures.
On Thursday, Platner praised Mills for her lifelong public service in Maine.
“We both got into this race because we knew how critical it is to defeat Susan Collins, and her decision today reflects a commitment to that project,” he said at an event in Augusta.
Platner announced his candidacy in August, presenting himself as an outsider angered by how unlivable the northeastern-most U.S. state has become for working-class people.
He blamed billionaires and corrupt politicians and called out Collins.
“I’m not fooled by this fake charade of Collins’ deliberation and moderation,” he said in a video statement.
Collins has a reputation as a centrist who occasionally bucks her party on key votes.
She told reporters at the Capitol that she was sure it was a difficult decision for Mills and said she would continue to work with her for the remainder of her term as governor.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Richard Cowan and Katharine Jackson; editing by Scott Malone, Deepa Babington and Alistair Bell)
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